discus federal issues related to US politics or affecting the entire nation.

Thursday, April 30, 2015

InstaPoll: Accountability in the intelligence community

Congressman Randy Forbes

Nearly two years ago, former NSA defense contractor and CIA employee Edward Snowden released classified materials on the NSA's data collection programs to the media. Since that time, examples of overreach by the NSA have continued to surface, including reports that the Agency violated rules regarding the monitoring of telephone records and misled the court charged with authorizing such surveillance.

Following these revelations, the House Judiciary Committee worked during the last Congress to end the NSA's bulk collection program by conducting oversight of intelligence-gathering programs and approving bipartisan legislation, which ultimately passed in the House of Representatives. However, the Senate failed to pass legislation on this issue.

This week, the House Judiciary Committee introduced an updated, bipartisan bill that goes even further in strengthening oversight and improving accountability of the intelligence community. This legislation, which Congressman Forbes is cosponsoring, ends bulk data collection under Section 215 of the PATRIOT Act. Additionally, the bill prioritizes transparency and information-sharing with the American people by creating a more robust government reporting system, whereby the Attorney General and the Director of National Intelligence will provide the public with detailed information about how they use these national security authorities. It also provides for national security by enhancing investigations of international proliferation of weapons of mass destruction.

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